Oscar Dunn was one of the most well-loved Black politicians during Reconstruction. A proponent of universal suffrage, civil rights, and integrated public schools, his pro-Black agenda was clear.
But there was something that wasn’t so clear: how did he suddenly end up dead?
Born into enslavement, Dunn worked his way up to prominence as the nation’s first Black lieutenant governor and acting governor in New Orleans, LA. He was the prototype for exactly what formerly enslaved Black people were inspired to be: successful and dedicated to his community. So what happened?
Many think he was poisoned by his political enemies. After all, he called out any politician that wasn’t keeping their promises or who worked against Black people, including the white governor.
White historians say he fell ill and died, but we can’t trust their account of his death. Why not?
They frequently erased people like him from history in order to support the narrative that all Black politicians were dishonest and incompetent!
Terrified by the thought of Black liberation, they wanted to push the narrative that we simply couldn’t survive without white control.
Dunn’s unrelenting drive to build a strong Black community after the Civil War shows us the impact just one committed leader can have – and that’s what terrified white people. Imagine our impact when we work together to make our communities strong!